Britney Spears Explains Her Decision To Join “The X Factor”

This is a big week for The X Factor as season 2 premieres with two new judges, Britney Spears and Demi Lovato. B96/Chicago is reporting live from the FOX Fall junket in LA and sat down with Britney and Simon Cowell to chat about how season 2 is different from last season, why Britney has always been Simon’s number one choice for a judge, and how the two were introduced.

Throughout the interview Simon is very candid about working with Britney. When asked how this season is different, he responded, “Well, we have two new judges; Bratney, Britney,” he joked. “They’ve made a huge difference. I love working with them. They’re very good judges.”

Viewers can expect to see a whole new look for the show too.

“When you see the first episode, it looks different than any show we’ve made before. We’re taking the camera even further backstage and you see what the contestants are really, really like when they come for these auditions,” Simon said. “And some of them are really idiots.”

Simon confessed that Britney joining the show has been the number one goal from the beginning. “I’ve wanted her for years,” Simon admitted. “We used to have a list. We always said, ‘Who would be our number one judge on The X Factor,?’ and we always had Britney Spears on the top. I never thought she’d do the show.”

So, how did Britney come to join the judging panel?

“Luckily, Britney was working with the same makeup artist I work with a year ago when Britney was touring,” he said. “They had a conversation, and then my makeup artist called me and said, ‘I think you should call Britney’s manager because she could be interested on doing X Factor.’ I’m like, ‘Yeah right!'”

In fact, Simon confessed his first encounter with Brit wasn’t what he expected.

“We arranged a call. She was very charming and sweet and humble, and I wasn’t expecting that. Then by the third call we pretty much sealed the deal,” Simon said.

Britney revealed what made her want to join the show.

“I heard of the show plenty of times, and my makeup artist was talking about it all the time, about how much fun they had, and it seemed really appealing and interesting to me to do something like that, something I’d never done before,” she said.

Simon added that fans can expect a new side of Britney on the show.

“OMG, you’re going to see her in a different light!” Simon said.

Britney admitted she might have tried out for a show like The X Factor when she was starting out in music before Simon chimed in, teasing her.

“There is actually kind of a brand new Britney we found on the show. You know, the girl we found with the hair? The 13-year-old.”

Simon and Britney seem to get really annoyed with each other, which will add some entertaining moments to the new season. There will also be two hosts this time around as Simon explained, “There’s too much talking for one person.”

The hosts will be revealed this week during the two-night premiere Wednesday and Thursday night on FOX at 8/7C.